"Souper Bowl"

This Sunday, February 5th, we will be participating in the "Souper Bowl of Caring." 

What is Souper Bowl of Caring?

Souper Bowl of Caring is a national movement of young people working to fight hunger and poverty in their own communities around the time of the Super Bowl football game. In the weeks leading up to or on Super Bowl Sunday, young people take up a collection (many use a soup pot), asking for one dollar or one item of food for people in need. They give 100% of their donation directly to the local hunger-relief charity of their choice.

During Worship this Sunday the children will be collecting monetary donations and non-perishable food items that will be distributed to local families in need.  Our congregation has already been generous with food donations and many of these have been distributed already.  This will enable us to replenish our supply and maybe help even more families.

So when doing your grocery shopping this week, grab some extra items if you are able, and support this worthy cause.  If you would prefer to make a monetary donation someone would be happy to do the shopping for you!

Thanks for all of your help!

Book Club Meeting--March 10th

The next meeting of the Book Club will be Saturday, March 10th at 9:30 AM at Coffee Culture in Batavia.  Everyone is invited.  The book club is a great way to enjoy some good books and fellowship.  Come check us out and bring a friend!

The book we will be discussing is "Without a Word:  How a Boy's Unspoken Love Changed Everything" by Jill Kelly.  From Amazon.com:  WITHOUT A WORD is a riveting memoir that blends remarkable achievement with passion, sacrifice, love, pain, and human interest. It takes the reader into the lives of a celebrity couple, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, and his wife, Jill, to reveal the Kelly family's private struggle and how eight and a half years with their severely disabled, terminally ill son, Hunter, unfolded in a redemptive and transforming manner. The light of Hunter's love through his brief and silent life shone into the shadowed corners of Jill and Jim's lives resulting in Jill believing that Jesus Christ was authentic, her learning to forgive Jim of past indiscretions, and finally resulting in Jim's seeking and finding God. Lessons gleaned from Hunter's life and death, and Jim and Jill's struggle to save their marriage during tumultuous times, make this a compelling and inspiring read.

Annual Meeting--January 29th

An annual meeting of the congregation of the East Bethany Presbyterian Church is called for January 29, 2012.  The purpose of this meeting is to hear the reports of the church business for the 2011 year, present the proposed slate of officers, and to approve the nominating committee for the 2012 church calendar year. 

The meeting will be following the worship service (11:30 AM).  We hope that everyone will plan to attend this important meeting.  A luncheon will be served.

Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study

Copies of the 2012 Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study are available on the table in the Fellowship Hall.  Feel free to take one--just please sign the list on the table so that we know who has already received one.  We would like to be able to provide a copy to every family in the congregation.

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and across the globe.  It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the PCUSA in intercessory prayer.  The stories for the 2012 Mission Yearbook were collected around General Assembly mission theme "Bearing Fruit and Growing in the Knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10).  Each yearbook bears witness to the abundant possibilities of the church because of the leadership of Christ.

Food Donations

The Mission Committee has begun gathering food donations to help families in the community who are in need.  Our goal is to eventually be able to help several local families by providing them with a food delivery every two weeks.  Initially we will be starting with just a couple of families.  We would like to be able to be a continuous support for these families for as long as they need us.  For this to be possible we need everyone to join in the effort.  We want this to be an ongoing project that the recipients know they can count on, rather than just a one-time donation. 

We are fortunate enough to not have to worry about where our next meal is coming from, let’s help others who aren’t as lucky.  Each week as you grocery shop please consider picking up an extra item or two to help a family in need. 

All donations can be placed on the table in the Fellowship Hall.  Anything that you would like to eat yourself that is non-perishable would make a good donation.   Below is a list of suggested donation items.  Please consider printing it and hanging it on your refrigerator or somewhere you will see it often as a reminder.   If you would prefer to make a monetary donation someone from the committee would be happy to do the shopping for you.  Just place the donation in the collection plate or on the desk in the office (marked for food donations).

Most of us take for granted that food will be available for us when we are hungry.  Please help us to help others in need.  Thank you for your support!

·        Oatmeal

·        Cereal

·        Granola bars

·        Canned fruits & vegetables

·        Pasta and sauce

·        Canned spaghetti, ravioli, etc.

·        Complete box meals

·        Boxed rice or potatoes

·        Peanut butter & jelly/jam

·        Canned soups/chili

·        Canned meats (chicken or tuna)

·        Applesauce

·        Microwavable meals (not requiring refrigeration)

·        Crackers

·        Juices

·        Boxed jello or pudding

Any monetary donations can be used to buy perishable items such as milk, eggs or bread to add to the boxes.

Upcoming Music Schedule

There is a choir practice scheduled for January 22 at 11:45 PM.


The choir will be performing during worship on the following Sundays:  January 29, February 5 and February 26.


For more information or if you are interested in joining the choir, contact Mark Barie, choir director, at 356-0945.

Book Club--January 21st

The next meeting of the book club will be January 21st at 9:30 AM at Coffee Culture in Batavia.  The book to be discussed is "Under the Overpass:  A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America" by Michael Yankoski.  Everyone is invited to join us.


From Amazon.com: 
Mike Yankoski did more than just wonder. By his own choice, Mike's life went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. With only a backpack, a sleeping bag and a guitar, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, set out to experience life on the streets in six different cities—from Washington D.C. to San Diego— and they put themselves to the test.
    For more than five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection—and all of this by their own choice. They wanted to find out if their faith was real, if they could actually be the Christians they said they were apart from the comforts they’d always known…to discover first hand what it means to be homeless in America.
   Mike and Sam's story is gritty, challenging, and utterly captivating. What you encounter in these pages will radically alter how you see your world—and may even change your life.

Prayer Requests

As Christians we believe in the power of prayer.  If you or someone you know is in need of prayers, please contact the church office at 344-2931 or ebpresbyterian@gmail.com.

If you are in need of immediate pastoral care call Susan at 704-2495.

Who We Are

Who are we?

We are disciples of Christ who gather as a church family to share our faith with a long standing tradition of extending our loving hearts and hands to each person through worship, education, music, service and generosity.

Your 2012 Session & Deacons

If you need anything at any time, feel free to contact a member of Session or Deacons.


Session
Reverend Michael Fry (moderator) (584-8165)
Megan Logsdon (356-9438)
Susan Boyle (343-6279)
Katie Taylor (409-9010)
Bob Carlsen (343-8072)
Peg Heywood (343-2681)
Mark Barie (356-0945)
Kim McGiveron (356-5418)



Deacons
Patty Malone (356-9436)
Grace Carlsen (343-8072)
Valerie Kingsley (739-9643)
Doug Heywood (343-2681)
Audrey Kellogg (343-3193)

We've made some changes!

For a while now we've been thinking about the church website and how it can be best used to get information out there about what is happening at EBPC.  We've decided to change to a different format--a blog versus a regular webpage--with the hope that it will be more user friendly.  We welcome any input about what you would like to see here or any suggestions you have about improving the site.  Anything that you would like to have published here can be sent to the church office at ebpresbyterian@gmail.com.